Saugus Officials Hope To Help Family, Park Affected By Flood Water
SAUGUS (CBS) – A Saugus park is underwater, and the town says the water is flowing from a family's basement.
That family and town are trying to find a solution to a problem that is making everyone miserable.
The water is being pumped from the St. Cyr's basement into the 'Tot Lot" playground next door. The St. Cyr's said the water comes from that playground.
WBZ-TV's Peg Rusconi reports.
"Because there's no drainage, it just sits out in the park and builds up 'til it becomes a lake," said Jeanne St. Cyr, the homeowner. "As it seeps into the ground, it finds its way into my basement, so I'm forced to pump out the park."
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In the low-lying area, which borders a marsh, there has been a problem during heavy rains.
St. Cyr said her basement isn't the only one that takes on water, but it's the closest to the playground. The playground floods, then the basement floods, and the pump returns water to the flooded playground.
"The park has to have drainage," said St. Cyr.
Saugus public works director Joseph Attubato agrees the park needs better drainage.
"That part of the park, the Tot Lot area is below grade, below the street level. And it's a high water table there so the result is that it was going, in my opinion, going into the home," said Attubato.
Crews installed a brand new drainage pipe at the edge of the park to redirect the water pumped from the family's basement to the street.
Attubato also plans to pump the water out of the park and into drains so children can use it as soon as possible this spring.
